Travels of Migrationology in 2010

By Mark Wiens 28 Comments

2010 was a year of friendship and eating. Being half stabilized in Bangkok, Thailand, allowed me to develop incredible relationships and pursue my radical addiction to street food. Though I taught English for over half of 2010, I was able to slip away for a few incredible trips. Here is the Migrationology travel round-up of 2010!

1. Cambodia

At the beginning of 2010, I had the privilege of visiting the mind blowing temples of Angkor Wat and spending some time submerged in the brilliance of Phnom Penh.

2. Thailand

I finished up a year of teaching English at Wall Street Institute in Bangkok. It was a great year of learning, eating Thai food and traveling around Thailand. I investigated fascinating places in Thailand like Sangkhlaburi, discovered what to NEVER do in Krabi, indulged in over 100 dishes to eat in Thailand and saw the Maeklong Train Market.

thailand-thai-food — Forever Happy Eating Thai Food

Krabi Blue Lagoon — Blue Lagoon in Krabi

3. Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

I was back to KL again, this time en-route to Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo. My favorite things to do in Kuala Lumpur revolved around exquisite Malay food and the almighty Durian Buffet!

4. Borneo, Malaysia

We arrived in Kota Kinabalu with the intention of climbing Mount Kinabalu in 1 day. Though sour weather declined us from reaching the summit, it was an incredible hike and we enjoyed every moment. Back in town, we spent hours in the Kota Kinabalu night market, eating phenomenal grilled seafood and basking in the late afternoon sunsets.

Mount Kinabalu Borner — View of Mount Kinabalu

kota-kinabalu-market — Kota Kinabalu Market

5. Brunei

While in Kota Kinabalu we decided to quickly take the ferry to the small country of Brunei. It was a quick but worthwhile journey to Bandar Seri Begawan which included an enchanting view of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and my first sample of the traditional sago palm starch called ambuyat.

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei — Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

6. Vietnam, Hanoi

In Hanoi, I drowned myself in as much Vietnamese street food as possible, braved Hanoi’s midnight market madness at Long Bien market, and examined Hanoi in a collage of dimensions! We were able to take a 2 day tour to Halong Bay and put together a Hanoi Budget Travel Guide.

7. Hong Kong

A friend of mine came from the States to visit Thailand and in the process, he wanted to hop over to Hong Kong for a few days. I got my fill of Lin Heung dim sum, spent the night in the notorious Chungking Mansions, and took loads of photos of Hong Kong.

8. Macau

We took a ferry from Hong Kong to Macau and went on a rampage through the city, doing as many things as we could with 12 hours in Macau.

macau-casino — Grand Lisboa Casino, Macau

9. Egypt

In November I flew to Egypt to explore the land of the Pharaohs and expose chaotic Cairo through photos. Egypt was simply an enchanting place. I was able to see the Pyramids, explore ancient structures in Luxor, visit Abu Simbel, sail the Nile River on a felucca (traditional Egyptian sailboat), and hang out as a nomad in the Siwa Oasis.

10. Kenya

I headed back to Nairobi (where I grew up) to visit some good friends and have some quality hanging out. Cruising around Nairobi was a random adventure as usual. I got my fill of nyama choma (raosted goat meat), ate at all my old favorite eateries and visited the shadier parts of town!

Articles and Pictures to come!

Nairobi Bus Station — Nairobi Matatu Station

Nairobi Nyama Choma — Roasted Chicken and Goat

11. Zanzibar

In an effort to get back to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from Nairobi, I went via Stone Town, Zanzibar. Our activities included a visit to Prison Island, a quick trip to Bwejuu and Paje beaches, shopping in Stone Town, and my share of Zanzibari cuisine and market hopping!

Articles and Pictures to come!

Paje Beach Zanzibar — Paje Beach, Zanzibar

12. Tanzania

I landed in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to spend Christmas with my parents. As I write this, I am basking in the humid air, sweating profusely, dining on my Mom’s home cooking and enjoying every moment!

Stay Tuned for Articles and Photos of East Africa!

I want to say a big Thank You to all my readers and followers of Migrationology. Thank you for your continued support and I wish you all the best for 2011!

As for me, I’m still not sure what 2011 will entail or what migrations might fall into place. I do know 1 thing, 2011 will be loaded full of travel culture adventures and around the world portions of street food!

– Migration Mark

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